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If you need assistance with the public file, please contact Keith Murray at 603-356-8870 or gm@wmwv.com.

If you need assistance please contact Keith Murray at 603-356-8870 or e-mail gm@wmwv.com.

Valley residents have experienced spring-like temperatures for the start of this week, but weather forecasters say not to get used to it. Temperatures are still expected to be above freezing tomorrow (2/26/20) as precipitation comes in, but that will change as temperatures drop Wednesday night bringing a predicted one to three inches of snow. Thursday is also expected to see precipitation throughout the day but what type will depend on whether the winds bring cold air from the north. It could be the difference between a fresh layer of powder or a dreaded sludge sure to freeze with the predicted cold afterwards.

This past Tuesday US Senator from New Hampshire Maggie Hassan stopped by the Mt. Washington Valley Adult Day Center to meet with local healthcare leaders and discuss challenges and legislation in the industry, particularly when caring for the elderly. One of the topics raised by the Senator is the newly proposed budget by the Trump administration. Hassan says, “The Trump administration just released its proposed budget. There are cuts to Medicare and Medicaid in that proposed budget. We are pushing back hard at that […] but it’s going to be important for everybody to stay vigilante about that because what has always helped in this area is when people show up in DC and say ‘this is how this would impact me in real life’ and that is how we’ve stopped these cuts in the past.” According to the officially published budget that claim is misleading. Both programs are scheduled to continue to increase total dollars spent under the proposed budget by the administration.

Congress budgets based off percentage of GDP, a calculation of the size of the economy based on total spending in the economy- including government spending. The new budget proposal increases the total dollars spent as well as total percentage of its share of GDP over time for Medicare but at a slower rate than in past proposed budgets. It also features a reduction in spending-to-GDP for Medicaid. Total dollars spent on Medicaid will continue to increase, however. The Trump administration also proposes enabling States to include controversial work requirements that have been subject to debate here in New Hampshire and in Maine.

The United States is expected to reach $1 trillion deficits this year, a number reflective of current spending. If that trends holds the nearly $23 trillion national debt will continue to increase in size even faster. The World Bank has published a study estimating that roughly past 77% public debt-to-GDP creates drag on national economies. The current public debt-to-GDP ratio is over 100%.

US Senator from New Hampshire Maggie Hassan discussed her efforts on Capital Hill while visiting the Mt. Washington Valley Adult Day Center yesterday. The Senator spent the late morning hours discussing care of the elderly with community healthcare leaders. She says, “We got an increase for meals on wheels programs. That’s something the entire New Hampshire delegation fought really hard for. If we reauthorize the Older Americans Act it will expand access to chronic pain management.” She said the meeting was scheduled so that she could inform those community members of her efforts and to get feedback to better ensure that what she is doing in DC is, in fact, helping the community and in touch with the situation here in New Hampshire.